Microphone clamp



Jan. 8, 1957 l.. R. BuRRoUGl-ls 2,776,42

MIhcRoPHcNE CLAMP Filed Feb. l0, 1954 2 Sheets-Shea?. 1

Jan. 8, 1957 L.. R. BURROUGHS 2,776,462

' MICROPHCNE CLAMP Filed Feb. lO, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MICROPHONE CLAMP Louis R. Burroughs, Buchanan, Mich., assignor to Electro-Voice, Incorporated, Buchanan, Mich.

Application February 10, 1954, Serial No. 409,352

Claims. (Cl. 24263) The present invention relates to a support device, and more particularly to a support for an elongated object or body such as a microphone casing, the position of which is to be adjusted or changed.

More recently a type of microphone has come into common use having an elongated body or casing generally of cylindrical configuration. The microphone is usually supported by a microphone stand having at its top some arrangement for holding the microphone casing. It has been found desirable to provide some sort of support which could be adjusted relative to the microphone casing without undue manipulation of clamping members and j without likelihood of injury to the surface of the microphone casing.

In accordance with the present invention the foregoing objectives have been accomplished by providing a microphone clamp, which in the unclamped position provides an appreciable amount of clearance between the clamp and the casing. Furthermore the metal members engaging the casing in the clamped position still leave a much smaller clearance so that actuation of the clamp does not damage or press into the microphone casing. By providing the clearance in the unclamped position, it is possible readily to adjust the position of the microphone without twisting and turning, a common procedure heretofore, which inevitably mars the finish on a microphone casing. This is accomplished in the present invention by the cooperative action of an elastic body which does not engage the surface of the microphone casing in unclamped position, but provides a highly effective frictional biasing action against the microphone casing in clamped position.

It, therefore, is an object of the present invention to provide an improved microphone clamp which is readily adjustable.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable clamp for microphones which will not mar or injure the finish or casing of a microphone.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved adjustable microphone clamp which is simple to manufacture and is reliable and positive in operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved adjustable microphone clamp which will accommodate various lengths of microphone casings.

Other and further objects of the present invention subsequently will become apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of the microphone clamp of the present invention shown in use;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side View of Figure 1 with portions broken away to show certain details of construction;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional View as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the microphone clamp.

nied States Patent O 2,776,462 Patented Jan. 8, 1957 'ice Figure 1 of the drawing shows a clamp comprising the present invention supporting a microphone having a casing 11, which is generally cylindrical in configuration, terminating at its forward end with a cap 12 which protects the microphone element. The lower end of the casing 11 is tapered as at 13 to provide an outlet for the microphone cable 14. The microphone is usually supported on a stand which has a threaded terminal, onto which is screwed another member such as the member 15 which pivotally and frictionally carries the adjustable clamp 16 comprising the present invention. The upper end of the member 15 is slotted to receive the clamp 16, which is retained in position by a suitable bearing or screw 17.

The clamp 16 has a narrow elongated relatively deep base 18 having a rounded portion 19 and a linear portion 21. Near the outer or free end of the linear portion 21 there is provided an undercut recess 22 extending from one side to the other side of the side surfaces of the body member 18. The body member 18 is furthermore provided with an aperture or hole 23 for receiving a pin 24. The recess 22 is filled with an elastic block member 25 having a transverse dimension slightly greater than the transverse dimension of the linear portion 21 of the member 18. The top surface of the elastic block 25 normally is flush with the boundary between the cooperating side members and wing portions thereof subsequently to be described.

On either side of the base 18 there are two complernentary retaining members 26 and 27. Each member preferably is formed of sheet metal so as to provide a relatively thin portion adapted to engage the sides of the base member 18. Each member therefore has a rounded portion 28 provided with an aperture 29 for receiving the retaining screw and bearing 17 of the member 15.; EX- tending from the rounded portion 28, which rests on the rounded portion 19 of the base 18, is an elongated generally rectangular portion 31 which is shaped so that normally it does not touch the side of the base 18 and just barely engages the side of the elastic block 25. Extending from the member 31 is a wing portion 32 having a shape generally complementary to the shape of the casing of the microphone or body to be supported thereby. It is to be understood that the shape of each of the wings 32 will conform to the shape of the microphone casing, whether it be cylindrical as shown in Figure l, or some other configuration. A channel shaped pivoted clamp 33 is supported from the pin 24 on either side of the two complementary retaining members 26 and 27, since the pin passes through suitable apertures 34 in the clamp member, and apertures 35 in the complementary members 26 and 27.

From Figures 2 and 3 it will be noted that the elastic block 25, which has its upper surface normally even with the edge 36 forming the boundary between the elongated body portion 31 and the wing portions 32 of the complementary members 26 and 27, has been compressed so as to move upwardly beyond the edges 36 into engagement with the casing 11. When the clamp member 33 is moved to the dotted line position shown in Figure l, the elastic member 25 is no longer compressed from each side by the side portions 31 of the member 26, and hence the upper surface of the block 25 recedes back to the edges 36 out of engagement with the undersurface of the microphone casing 11. This relation of the parts is believed to be evident from these two figures taken in conjunction with Figure 4 which shows the clamp 18 in the solid iline position of Figure l. Figure 4 further illustrates the manner in which clearance may be provided between the surfaces 31 and the surfaces 21 of the base member 18.

The representation in Figure 4 will further serve to illustrate the operation of the clamping member 33, which in this figure is in the dotted line position shown in Figure l. It will be noted that-the circular portions 28 of the complementary members 26 and 27 abut the peripheral portions ofthe rounded portion 19 of the base 1S. Peripheral portions are particularly so formed by two recesses 33 on either side so that a good contact is obtained for the frictional holding in a pivoted position by the bolt 19 of the clamp assembly 16. It further will be noted that each of the complementary members 26 and 27 has sucient resiliency so that in normal formation the two Wing members 32 tend to diverge from the central line as contrasted to the parallel position of the two members when the clamp 33 is in the solid line position of Figure 1.

From Figure 4 it will be noted that the elastic block is engaged primarily at the rear portion and hardly at all at the forward or righthand portion of the block. An upward movement of the clamp member 33 from the dotted line representation in Figure 1 to the solid line position would tend to align the surfaces 31 parallel to each other, thereby compressing the pad 25 to cause it to assume the position shown in Figures 2 and 3. When the pad is compressed, the microphone body is securely held in position. When the pad 25 is not compressed, a certain amount of clearance is provided on all sides of the microphone body 11. Thus it will be appreciated that a simple to operate positive clamp has been provided which when moved to the release position completely frees the microphone casing 11 for any desired adjustment or for removal from the clamp assembly 16. There is no necessity for twisting or pulling the microphone as would be the case if the wing members 32 were absolutely complementary to the surface of the microphone casing 1i leaving no clearance.

While for the purpose of illustrating and describing the present invention a preferred embodiment has been shown in the drawings, it is to be understood that such variations are contemplated in the construction and in the arrangement of the parts as may be commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. The combination comprising a narrow elongated relatively deep base member having on its top surface an undercut recess extending transversely from side to side, an elastic member lling said recess and protruding slightly on either side, a pair of complementary members having flat surfaces adapted to` engage the sides of said base and having wing portions adapted to engage another body, and a multi-position clamp member connected to said base for pressing said complementary members against the sides of said base to compress said elastic member in at least one of said clamp member positions against said other body.

2. The combination comprising an elongated relatively deep base member having on its top surface an undercut recess extending transversely from side to side, an elastic member filling said recess and protruding slightly on either side, a pair of complementary members having flat surfaces adapted to engage the sides of said base and having wing portions conforming to and adapted to engage an elongated body, and a clamp member pivotally connected to said base for selectively pressing said members against the sides of said base to compress said elastic member in at least one of said pivoted positions against said elongated body.

3. The combination comprising an elongated base member having on its top surface an undercut recess extending transversely from side to side, an elastic member filling said recess and protruding slightly on either side, a pair of complementary sheet metal members having flat surfaces adapted to engage the sides of said base and having wing portions conforming to and adapted to engage an elongated body, the surfaces adjacent the elastic member normally just contacting said elastic member, and a clamp member pivotally connected to said base adapted to be moved into a position to press said members against the sides of said base to compress said elastic member therebetween.

4. The combination comprising a narrow relatively deep base member having adjacent one end at its top surface an undercut recess extending transversely between the sides thereof, an elastic member lling said recess and protruding slightly on either side, a pair of complementary members each having a flat surface portion adapted to engage the sides of said base and having a wing portion conforming to and adapted to engage a microphone casing, the surfaces of said member adjacent the elastic member normally just contacting said elastic member, and a two position clamp member pivotally connected to said base for pressing said member against the sides of said base in one position to compress said elastic member to cause it to expand upwardly into engagement with the body held by the wing portions of said complementary members.

5. The combination comprising a narrow deep base member having adjacent one end on its top surface a transverse undercut recess extending between the sides thereof, an elastic member filling said recess and protruding slightly on either side of said base, a pair of complementary members each having a ilat resilient surface portion adapted to engage the sides of said elastic member and a portion remote therefrom attached to one end of said base, said members each having a Wing portion conforming to and adapted to engage a microphone casing, and a two posie tion clamp member pivotally connected to said base for pressing said members against the sides of said elastic member to cause it to expand upwardly into engagement with the body held by the wing portions of said cornplementary members.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,210,985 Pratt Ian. 2, 1917 1,285,802 Russell Nov. 26, 1918 2,043,041 Goeddeke June 2, 1936 2,083,842 Henning .lune 15, 1937 2,539,711 Varabeau Ian. 30, 1951 2,650,317 Maclay et al Aug. 25, 1953 2,673,059 Lustig Mar. 23, 1954 l it. 

